Physical Properties of Sputum
- 1 July 1972
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Thoracic Society in American Review of Respiratory Disease
- Vol. 106 (1) , 86-96
- https://doi.org/10.1164/arrd.1972.106.1.86
Abstract
The natural variation in viscosity and elasticity in a single 0.5-ml sample of sputum, as well as among several expectorates of a patient during a single day and during a three-day period, has been quantitated. Other properties of sputum, such as gross appearance, cellular density, percentage of solid content, types of cells present, and pH were also studied, and possible correlations were investigated. The viscosity variation (at a shear rate of 1 sec−1) averaged 11 ± 8 per cent (mean ± SD) for a single sample; 26 ± 18 per cent for three expectorates of a single patient during one day; 49 ± 33 per cent for one patient during three days. Variation in elasticity averaged 6 per cent for one sample; 25 ± 15 per cent for one day; 33 ± 9 per cent for three days. Samples classified by eye as mucoid or purulent according to pre-established color and opacity criteria showed a close correlation between this classification and the variables described above. Samples called purulent had a high density of cells with 8...Keywords
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